Chase ends with arrest in Brooks Co.

Tellas Barnum, 36, is in custody following a high speed chase that ended Wednesday morning near the Brooks/Lowndes county line.

Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine says that Wednesday morning around 6:45, a deputy with the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office Interstate Criminal Enforcement unit saw a Nissan Altima following too closely to another vehicle.

The deputy attempted to perform a traffic stop, but the driver sped west on U.S. Highway 84 and entered neighborhoods and made several U turns in an attempt to lose the deputy, and tossing items out the window.

The chase continued, at speeds around 100 miles per hour, until they reached the Quitman city limits where the driver again turned around.

"Due
to the low traffic, and lack of people on the roadway the deputies continued
the chase. While doing so, Mr. Barnum tossed some packages out the window,
which we believe were probably narcotics," said Lt. Stryde Jones of the
Lowndes Co. Sheriff's Office.

The
chase reached speeds of over 100 miles an hour, but when Barnum got to Quitman
he saw Quitman Police coming after him and turned around and headed back
towards Valdosta on Hwy 84.

By
the time he made it back to the Lowndes County line, deputies had deployed
spike strips, so Barnum decided not to drive any further and pulled over onto
the median.

"He
stayed in his vehicle. What he did try to do is, when the deputies approached
the vehicle he still had the car in drive and started driving at one of the deputies,"
Jones said.

Barnum
received some minor scrapes from a scuffle with deputies as they tried to
arrest him. He was treated at the scene and then taken to the Lowndes County
Jail.

"They
also found some white powdery substances in the car. They're doing some forensic
testing now to determine what those substances may be."

So
far, Barnum is charged with aggravated assault on a deputy, but will face more
charges depending on what the substance is.

During a search of the vehicle, deputies recovered an unknown substance which the deputies are testing. They also located a set of digital scales and packaging materials. Deputies have continued to search the roadside to recover any contraband tossed from the vehicle.

Tellas Barnum is charged with Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, Fleeing and attempting to elude, Following too close, Speeding, and Reckless driving.